Blenny panting, not eating, lethargy. Tank crashing.

[Emvy]

Hello all,

I’ve got 99 problems.

Tank background: started cycling in December, was finished by January. Fish QT for 30 days copper, 14 days Prazi. 2 clowns and a kamohara made it and were introduced to the cycled DT in March. Then the lights went on, low white at first during the day. When I finally got the remote for the hyper reef gen 2s, I set up the auto light cycle and had the blue and violets up around 80% during peak. I have a QT tank full of corals at around day 60 that I was prepping to put in after 72 days, so I figured I should start the light cycle on the tank to prepare.

This is where things go awry.

Parameters are stable, even too low with 0 nitrates and phos. I started to see some brown along the bottom and assumed diatoms after research. After a week the tank was brown. Rocks and sand covered in it. Put some under a microscope last night, and I fear it’s dinos. I’ve got a UV and some neonitro on the way. Manually removal of quite a lot yesterday and a 10% water change to boot.

That’s problem 1.

Problem 2 is, now the fish seem distressed and the blenny is panting at the bottom of the tank. I’ve increased surface agitation tenfold to combat oxygen deprivation from the potential dinos. The clowns are still moving but not in their normal fashion. None of them are surfacing to feed like they normally do. Tank is also cloudy from what I assumed was a potential bacterial bloom from a slip of a lot of food that I tried to siphon out immediately. Any tips, insight or suggestions? Thanks in advance.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello all,

I’ve got 99 problems.

Tank background: started cycling in December, was finished by January. Fish QT for 30 days copper, 14 days Prazi. 2 clowns and a kamohara made it and were introduced to the cycled DT in March. Then the lights went on, low white at first during the day. When I finally got the remote for the hyper reef gen 2s, I set up the auto light cycle and had the blue and violets up around 80% during peak. I have a QT tank full of corals at around day 60 that I was prepping to put in after 72 days, so I figured I should start the light cycle on the tank to prepare.

This is where things go awry.

Parameters are stable, even too low with 0 nitrates and phos. I started to see some brown along the bottom and assumed diatoms after research. After a week the tank was brown. Rocks and sand covered in it. Put some under a microscope last night, and I fear it’s dinos. I’ve got a UV and some neonitro on the way. Manually removal of quite a lot yesterday and a 10% water change to boot.

That’s problem 1.

Problem 2 is, now the fish seem distressed and the blenny is panting at the bottom of the tank. I’ve increased surface agitation tenfold to combat oxygen deprivation from the potential dinos. The clowns are still moving but not in their normal fashion. None of them are surfacing to feed like they normally do. Tank is also cloudy from what I assumed was a potential bacterial bloom from a slip of a lot of food that I tried to siphon out immediately. Any tips, insight or suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Its hard to see the fish in the video especially due to reflection on the glass. The clown too is breathing somewhat heavy and there is evidence of heavy diatoms and how are you testing water levels?
In addition, are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet?
The blwenny is quite skinny and may have edema in which its feeding off its liver.
What foods are you offering?

 

[Uncle99]

With nutrients zeroed out, the development of Dino’s and other pest stuff is likely. They can be toxic.

You need to bump nitrate to 5ppm and phosphate to .1ppm to feed the system and develop your good algae’s and bacteria to outcompete the pest stuff.
You’ll need to do that anyways.

Dino’s are a numbers game. You need to be removing them constantly on a daily basis with filter changes after lights on, UV when lights out, manual removal.

Keeping nutrients stable and level in the range is vital as well as ALK, the less flux the better.

A weekly splash of live phyto and one time PODS add will help bolster the micro guys.

 

[Emvy]

Its hard to see the fish in the video especially due to reflection on the glass. The clown too is breathing somewhat heavy and there is evidence of heavy diatoms and how are you testing water levels?
In addition, are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet?
The blwenny is quite skinny and may have edema in which its feeding off its liver.
What foods are you offering?

Yeah sorry about that, I tried to adjust lighting to get a better image.
I’ve been using store-bought distilled water from the beginning. Using API test kits for the common tests.
All have eaten general pellets from the beginning. Love frozen mysis when offered, but hasn’t responded to any of it.

 

[Emvy]

With nutrients zeroed out, the development of Dino’s and other pest stuff is likely. They can be toxic.

You need to bump nitrate to 5ppm and phosphate to .1ppm to feed the system and develop your good algae’s and bacteria to outcompete the pest stuff.
You’ll need to do that anyways.

Dino’s are a numbers game. You need to be removing them constantly on a daily basis with filter changes after lights on, UV when lights out, manual removal.

Keeping nutrients stable and level in the range is vital as well as ALK, the less flux the better.

A weekly splash of live phyto and one time PODS add will help bolster the micro guys.

Thank you for the input. I had a similar gameplan in mind, but the Blenny looking abysmal is worrying. Illness? Dino toxicity? I just don’t know. The shipment of all my remedies is a day out. Again, thanks.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yeah sorry about that, I tried to adjust lighting to get a better image.
I’ve been using store-bought distilled water from the beginning. Using API test kits for the common tests.
All have eaten general pellets from the beginning. Love frozen mysis when offered, but hasn’t responded to any of it.

Consider hanna or salifert tests and distilled water may not be the best as its often low in PH. The diet mentioned , not sufficient. Add to diet, KLRS Fish frenzy, plankton, brine shrimp and formula 2 flakes
I encourage you to take a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels truly are at

 

[Tamberav]

If it were my fish, I would pull them into a holding/observation tank with new saltwater and good aeration. UV isn't' here yet and tank is cloudy. Mostly just in case the bloom is wrecking oxygen levels but also, I am seeing slime peeling off the blenny which makes me think brook except the clowns don't seem to have it.. hm.

 

[Emvy]

Consider hanna or salifert tests and distilled water may not be the best as its often low in PH. The diet mentioned , not sufficient. Add to diet, KLRS Fish frenzy, plankton, brine shrimp and formula 2 flakes
I encourage you to take a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels truly are at

10-4 on the diet. Salifert master combo? Would love Hanna’s and plan to have them eventually but a little rich up front.

 

[MikeReefs]

Get yourself a UV. And bump up your nitrates using neo nitro. Your bacteria is starving from no nutrients. If your phosphates are low as well bump those up too using Brightwell phosphate. The Dino’s are consuming the only available nutrients. If you running a skimmer stop it. Phos should be .03-.1 and Nitrates around 5-10. The very toxic Dino’s usually can be controlled using a UV. A microscope is the only way to identify which Dino’s you have.

 

[Savage Henry]

If it were my fish, I would pull them into a holding/observation tank with new saltwater and good aeration. UV isn't' here yet and tank is cloudy. Mostly just in case the bloom is wrecking oxygen levels but also, I am seeing slime peeling off the blenny which makes me think brook except the clowns don't seem to have it.. hm.

Totally agree, while you’re mucking about trying to figure out what’s gone wrong, pull the fish out now. I’d keep the Blenny separate from the Clowns. Clowns are bulletproof, but I think the Blenny may not make it. Can you make up new water for the fish?

 

[Emvy]

Totally agree, while you’re mucking about trying to figure out what’s gone wrong, pull the fish out now. I’d keep the Blenny separate from the Clowns. Clowns are bulletproof, but I think the Blenny may not make it. Can you make up new water for the fish?

Oh I can always make up water! That process I have mastered lol. I’m running out of tanks though

 

[vetteguy53081]

10-4 on the diet. Salifert master combo? Would love Hanna’s and plan to have them eventually but a little rich up front.

master or at least ammonia, nitrate and phosphate

 

[MnFish1]

I don't know that this is Dinos - but rather diatoms. And it's pretty common in new tanks. Since you're having dying fish - and didn't quarantine them, I would treat for disease leaving the tank fallow using the protocol at the top of the forum. Best wishes with your tank

 

[Emvy]

I don't know that this is Dinos - but rather diatoms. And it's pretty common in new tanks. Since you're having dying fish - and didn't quarantine them, I would treat for disease leaving the tank fallow using the protocol at the top of the forum. Best wishes with your tank

I mentioned the full fish QT process in OP

 

[MnFish1]

I mentioned the full fish QT process in OP

Sorry - I edited my post. I would still consider re-doing it. If the fish is panting - you can choose, ammonia, oxygen or disease - since you've said your parameters are fine - we can cross out ammonia, you seem to have adequate oxygenation however - if you did have a bacterial bloom - that could have stressed out the fish. That leaves disease - so it's possible though you quarantined, that levels were off, or another problem with it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I don’t see Dino but rather diatoms that typically appear in tanks which just completed its cycle but they also appear in established reef tanks and looks ugly but in most cases harmless feeding mainly off silicates as well as dissolved organic compounds, phosphate and nitrates. Tap water can contain silicates and is often why you get a bloom if you use it to mix salt or to replace water that evaporated from the tank.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hello all,

I’ve got 99 problems.

Tank background: started cycling in December, was finished by January. Fish QT for 30 days copper, 14 days Prazi. 2 clowns and a kamohara made it and were introduced to the cycled DT in March. Then the lights went on, low white at first during the day. When I finally got the remote for the hyper reef gen 2s, I set up the auto light cycle and had the blue and violets up around 80% during peak. I have a QT tank full of corals at around day 60 that I was prepping to put in after 72 days, so I figured I should start the light cycle on the tank to prepare.

This is where things go awry.

Parameters are stable, even too low with 0 nitrates and phos. I started to see some brown along the bottom and assumed diatoms after research. After a week the tank was brown. Rocks and sand covered in it. Put some under a microscope last night, and I fear it’s dinos. I’ve got a UV and some neonitro on the way. Manually removal of quite a lot yesterday and a 10% water change to boot.

That’s problem 1.

Problem 2 is, now the fish seem distressed and the blenny is panting at the bottom of the tank. I’ve increased surface agitation tenfold to combat oxygen deprivation from the potential dinos. The clowns are still moving but not in their normal fashion. None of them are surfacing to feed like they normally do. Tank is also cloudy from what I assumed was a potential bacterial bloom from a slip of a lot of food that I tried to siphon out immediately. Any tips, insight or suggestions? Thanks in advance.

In the video, it looks like mucus sheets peeling off the blenny, or are those just nearby algae? If it’s from the fish, I would suspect brooklynella.

In 50+ years I’ve never had to deal with dinoflagellates, but some can release toxins. Water changes and carbon can help with that.